News & Press

2015 California Gold Ribbon Schools Award

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Published: Wednesday, May 6, 2015

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that 193 middle schools and 180 high schools have been honored under the state’s new Gold Ribbon Schools Awards Program, which is temporarily taking the place of the California Distinguished Schools Program.

Of the four schools in Humboldt County receiving this award, Eureka City Schools is proud to announce that Eureka High School and Zane Middle School have been notified they are successful in receiving this prestigious award.

“These schools are academically successful, vibrant, and innovative centers of learning and teaching,” Torlakson said. “They provide great examples of the things educators are doing right—embracing rigorous academic standards, providing excellence and creativity in teaching, and creating a positive school climate.”

Schools applied for the award based on a model program their school has adopted that includes standards-based activities, projects, strategies, and practices that can be replicated by other local educational agencies.

Eureka High School is being recognized for their model program Constructing Meaning. Eureka High has been using Constructing Meaning (CM) for the last five years to assist all students in becoming fluent with written and spoken academic language across the core subject areas. This approach provides a variety of research-based tools for students to use in order to clearly and confidently communicate their learning, while strengthening skills necessary for college and career success.

Zane Middle School is being recognized for two model programs they have implemented; PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). Both PBIS and STEAM have been instrumental in transforming Zane Middle School from a great middle school into an extraordinary middle school.

Superintendent Van Vleck recognized the exemplary efforts of the staff, students and parents of both Eureka High School and Zane Middle School that made this state recognition possible.

School staff representing both sites will travel to Sacramento on May 20, 2015, where they will accept the award from the State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson.